I have just Starting Questions: Toronto guidelines for hot dog carts ?

I have just Starting Questions: Toronto guidelines for hot dog carts ?

Hello,

I am browsing this forum and i read that there is certain regulations for hot dog vendor carts, I was wondering if anyone from toronto would know what those are or where to look? (I can't seem to find a website with that info).

I was also wondering where the grill is on most of these vendor carts do you have to buy and attach the grill yourself?

sorry i know these questions are super noobish, would love to know though.

Yeah....as has been mentioned - local health dept in the area you want to work in is a start.

I think what maybe chefbuba was meaning is if you want to build your cart there are a few guys out there that sell plans, dvd's, etc on how to do it. Or there are several carts already made - new or used - that you can buy for your business. Just make sure to get the regs from the health dept first BEFORE you buy or build a cart so you know what you actually need on your cart to do business. (here in the states, some counties want 1 sink on a cart, some want 2, etc)

The college angle is interesting....whether or not they have a cafeteria (don't all do?) I don't think is the question....it's whether or not the college will allow you on campus to do business - if that's what you're talking about. I know in my town they have something called "vendors row" where a few food carts set up and from what I understand the rent is fairly high to be there but it might be worth it....call them and see. Also you can try and talk with other hotdoggers in your area for some local answers...some will talk with you, some won't.

thanks for the response Djdawg another question is this considered to strict? for my city mississauga..it seems like there is barely any options to operate

Refreshment vehicles (By-law 520-04), often referred to as Coffee Trucks or Catering Trucks provide food service to sites throughout the City. Because of their mobility they may serve customers whose work location is too remote to allow access to breaktime refreshments or find themselves working in areas that have no local refreshment distribution. These refreshment vehicles are licensed in order to insure that the vehicle and operator meet minimum standards for safe operation and sanitary conditions. The By-law governing refreshment vehicles also places limitation upon the activities that these vehicles are engaged in, specifically these vehicles are prohibited from:

Operating from a roadway

Operating from private property without the private property owners permission

Operating from a location on private property for more than thirty minutes in any one hour period

Operating from a location within 150 metres of the previous location

Operating within 30 metres of any intersection or withing 60 metres of any public park

Operating within 90 metres of the property line of land occupied by a school on a school day between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

This information is for convenience and quick reference only. For specific information contact the Mobile Licensing Office by dialling 3-1-1 (Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.). If calling outside of City limits, please dial . For an emergency after hours, from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weekends and holidays, please call .

Smoogle....are you wanting to operate a mobile food cart or a food truck? (like an enclosed truck you stand in...i.e. Taco Trucks) It seems like the regs above are talking about the enclosed trucks NOT mobile food carts....but you need to contact them for clarification.

Having worked for a college, they had a contracted food service. We couldn't even order outside pizza, or bring in subs or anything for a department party. Had to go through their food service. Even for cookies.

thanks for the response Djdawg another question is this considered to strict? for my city mississauga..it seems like there is barely any options to operate

Refreshment vehicles (By-law 520-04), often referred to as Coffee Trucks or Catering Trucks provide food service to sites throughout the City. Because of their mobility they may serve customers whose work location is too remote to allow access to breaktime refreshments or find themselves working in areas that have no local refreshment distribution. These refreshment vehicles are licensed in order to insure that the vehicle and operator meet minimum standards for safe operation and sanitary conditions. The By-law governing refreshment vehicles also places limitation upon the activities that these vehicles are engaged in, specifically these vehicles are prohibited from:

Operating from a roadway

Operating from private property without the private property owners permission

Operating from a location on private property for more than thirty minutes in any one hour period

Operating from a location within 150 metres of the previous location

Operating within 30 metres of any intersection or withing 60 metres of any public park

Operating within 90 metres of the property line of land occupied by a school on a school day between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

This information is for convenience and quick reference only. For specific information contact the Mobile Licensing Office by dialling 3-1-1 (Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.). If calling outside of City limits, please dial . For an emergency after hours, from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weekends and holidays, please call .

this all looks pretty standard.

It sounds like you need some business planning advice. Here in the states the SBA and a few other no profits have business planning advice available for free or at a low cost. You should maybe get an appointment with someone to be sure you know what you are getting yourself into.

There is more to it than a city permit and a cart.

you are going to need: *insurance *a supllier (could be a wholsale retail like costco or sams) *a plan *most cities in the states, and i asssume in canada it's the same, require you to be food safety certified a cart that meets your cities requirements and is approved by your local health inspector: these vary from city to city and state to state. *a couple of locations in mind (your first may not be as good as you expect) *a commisary kitchen if you handle any raw foods * a storage facility for your cart * a means of accessing fresh water and disposing waste water

i would suggest you do as bubba and others are saying, go into the local health department with your questions, then go to the city clerk or who ever handles the licensing, they will know what you can and cannot do. Don't waste time trying to call; they are busy and probably won't field a bunch of questions over the phone. in person is always better in my opinion.

then meet with someone (knowledgeable) to go over your business plan: start up cost, overhead, cost of goods sold, develop your menu, pricing of your menu.

finally figure out how much you need to make each day and how many days you need to work to turn a profit...